Suspense mounted on the issue of chief ministership in Uttar Pradesh with a senior Samajwadi Party leader on Thursday saying that it has been left to Mulayam Singh Yadav to take a call on whether he will take on the mantle or entrust the task to his son.

"The party has decided to authorise 'Netaji' (Mulayam). If he wants, he can become the chief minister or if he wants then Akhilesh can become the CM. But there will be no third person," Ramgopal Yadav told reporters in Etawah.

He was replying to a question as to who would head the government in UP, where the SP has got a clear majority of 224 seats in the 403-member assembly.

Mulayam and Akhilesh had on Wednesday met Governor B L Joshi and staked claim to form the government.

At the SP parliamentary board meeting yesterday, a majority of members pitched for Akhilesh, who is the SP state president, as the next chief minister. However, they had left a final decision on this to Mulayam.

A meeting of the newly-elected SP legislators will be held on March 10 to decide on the new chief minister.

On his part, Akhilesh has maintained that his father will be the new CM.

Earlier, Mulayam asked his supporters to refrain from 'goondaism', warning them that such acts would not be tolerated at any cost.

"The SP has resolved to check goondaism and not allow it... All should help maintain order... Goondaism would not be tolerated at any cost," the SP chief told his supporters who thronged his native Saifai village here on the occasion of Holi.

Sporadic violence involving Samajwadi workers had broken out in U P on Tuesday in which one boy was killed, two people injured and TV cameras smashed during a clash with mediamen who were trapped in separate incidents in Sambhal, Jhansi and Firozabad.

Mulayam said that the first task before the party was to fulfil the promises made to the people.

Mulayam, who had arrived here by helicopter, took part in the Holi festivities for about an hour.

Though senior leaders including Ramgopal Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav were seen welcoming the SP supremeo, the absence of Akhilesh was felt by young party supporters who had gathered to meet him.

Akhilesh was in Lucknow and could not make it to Etawah on Thursday.